Saint Petersburg : Florida

What it's Like to Retire in Saint Petersburg

St. Petersburg is one of 3 closely related cities on Florida's Tampa Bay. The other 2 are Clearwater and Tampa (the largest and most urban of the 3). St. Pete has been a classic retirement and tourist destination since the 1920's because of its winter warmth, great beaches, and ideal location on a peninsula in Tampa Bay. One of the prime shopping areas is Baywalk, and there is also the Central Business District (home to wikipedia.org). There are at least 3 colleges in St. Pete - University of Florida St. Pete, St. Petersburg College, and Eckerd College (located on the waterfront on one of the most beautiful campus settings in the world). Whereas Tampa is more urban and Clearwater a bit more suburban, St. Pete offers a happy compromise in a very livable city. Many people agree that St. Pete has one of the nicest and most vital downtowns in Florida. St. Pete, with almost 300,000 people, is the 4th largest city in the state.

Where to Retire in Saint Petersburg and Home Prices

St. Pete, aka "The Sunshine City", has many interesting and historic neighborhoods. Some of those include Grand Central, historic Kenwood, Old Northeast, and Roser Park. Many of these desirable neighborhoods and are near the water. There are many active adult communities in St. Pete (see link at right). City-data.com reports the median price of a home to be about $155,000 in late 2014, Zillow has it close to $180,000 in early 2015. Real estate taxes average about $1500. Home insurance in this coastal city can be high, with most new homeowners forced into a state pool.

What is special about Saint Petersburg

St. Pete offers a pleasant lifestyle near the water with many diversions. There are many interesting neighborhoods and attractions. Having 3 colleges in town is a big plus. The St. Petersburg Pier is a big tourist attraction. The Tampa Bay Rays have their home in St. Pete.

What is not special about Saint Petersburg

Certain parts of St. Pete are high crime areas, particularly some of South St. Pete.

Who will like retirement in Saint Petersburg

People looking to retire in a low-key Florida city with a lot to do will like St. Petersburg. It is particularly nice for beach and water lovers. The average age in St. Pete is 41.

Local economy is driven by

Tourism, retirees, healthcare are some of the big parts of the St. Pete economy.

Climate and Physical Environment

St. Pete is located on a peninsula running along the southwest part of Tampa Bay. Clearwater is to the north and Tampa to the east. The western part of town is comprised of barrier islands facing the Gulf of Mexico.

Restaurants & Cultural Scene

Being home to 3 colleges helps the cultural scene in St. Petersburg. It also has several interesting museums: the Salvador Dali Museum, the Holocaust Museum, Museum of Fine Arts, Florida International Museum, and a Children's Museum. The Mahaffey Theatre Complex, the Arts Center, Palladium Theatre, and Jannus Center are just some of the cultural outlets. The St. Petersburg Pier always has something going on, and throughout the year many festivals are held. If that is not enough, a quick trip across the Bay will turn up many more events in Tampa.

Crime

Crime in Saint Petersburg is much higher than the national average, but differs greatly by neighborhood.

Medical facilities

There are at least 3 hospitals in St. Pete and many more in nearby Tampa and Clearwater. Medical specialists of every description abound.

Transportation

Tampa International, a major airport, is close. The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority provides bus service. A trolley runs through the downtown district. I 275 runs through St. Pete and connects to the mainland. Overall, St. Petersburg is average in walkability and above average for biking. The downtown neighborhoods are considered quite walkable.

Valuable Links

What people are saying about Saint Petersburg

Home Values In St Petersburg

Being a very experienced real estate appraiser serving the St Petersburg Florida area, I can help with decisions about value and real estate offers.
Marten Davis, SRPA
http://appraiser-st-petersburg.com

Posted by martendavis on February 03, 2016

St Petersburg as a retirement destination

I agree with Ed completely about downtown St Petersburg. It has been amazing to see these past few years its renaissance as a vital cultural and artistic center. The only serious issue for most retirees who want this urbane environment with its fantastic restaurants, museums, and parks along the Bay is likely to be cost. The newer condos downtown are now selling for $500,000-$1 million and up. Rents are increasingly in the stratosphere too!
However, there are some very good over-55 communities within a few miles of downtown St Petersburg where one can still purchase a 1 or 2 bedroom condo for $50-100,000. Oh yes, and these communities usually offer some of the same amenities you expect in far more rural locations: swimming pools, tennis courts, club houses, special activities. If interested in more information contact me: Tony Branch, realtor, Earnest Realty, Inc., at tonyrestpete@aol.com or (727) 460-7887.

Posted by Tony1branch on June 21, 2015

Walkability in St. Pete

This comment came in from Ed - thanks!
I live in downtown St. Petersburg. It\'s the most walkable city I\'ve ever been to. I\'ve been living there now for the past 6 months and I am in he process of getting rid of our 2nd car. which I don\'t need anymore. We went from driving over 1500 miles a month to less than 500 as soon as we moved to downtown St. Petersburg. In downtown St. Petersburg, we can walk everywhere, local stores , restaurants, health care , movies, 3 museums, Mahaffey theater, arts district , 3 parks, beach access , the pier, bike paths, etc,

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